The Chipotle "Incident" of 2009

Greetings Readers

So, there I was getting off late from work - another hectic New Year day (not even a week into the New Year) and I needed some time not to think. I went to Best Buy and then I went to another store and the headed over to Barnes and Noble to see if I can get a decent calender on sales.

Oh yes, basically every year I will try and buy all my calendars (that I want) after the New Year since most of the time they need to move inventory at a discount.

Now, the time was about 8 PM or so and I decided that I was hungry for a burrito. Yet, I was not going to go to "my" Qdoba's since it was not the time to go. With that I decided to go to the competition - Chipolte's.

I went in and knew that I was hungry for (desired) a steak burrito. Enough said that was my decision.

"I want a steak burrito - black" even before they asked what I want.

That's right - if I know what I want there is no sense in waiting for the "What can I get for you?"

The young guy went and heated up the tortilla, prior to making the burrito, in the steamer. While that was being done I decided I better look at the steak to see "how old" it looks since I have come after the dinner rush and perhaps they have "old" food sitting out. Hell, if there was a couple of hours left and the customers were not coming in I would not want to make a new batch of food since the restaurant would be closing, therefore making new food for no one would be a waste and costly to inventory (especially so during this time now - the Economy it is now)

I looked at the steak container and I saw a lot of pink and even red (seriously uncooked) meat. Even though the outside of the steak looked cooked and even burnt with grill marks the meat was red on the inside. And worst yet, when red "raw" meat is left out for a while it gets a certain ugly red color. I know that because I am a steak eater and I love my steak medium well and I know what and how medium well steak looks like when fresh and not fresh.

I made a face and ask the burrito maker if that is the steak. He said yes. I replied and then told him look at all those red uncooked steak meat. He looked and even took a couple out, as if to please me. No way I thought to myself. No way.

"I am going to have chicken. No way I am having raw steak in my burrito"

He complied. After scooping in the chicken in my burrito I immediately said without hesitation - "I want tomatoes, cheese and lettuce." He then asks what salsa? I did not say salsa - I said tomatoes, cheese and lettuce.

I immediately looked at the cash register girl and said "Chips - hot." She looked at me for about two seconds and then looked at the guy making the burrito. What the hell. I was the only person in line and she has no reason not to get the chips and salsa for me, while the other guy is making my burrito.

Well, she finally moved and then asked the guy making my burrito

"Steak?" she says

"Chicken." he replied

"Steak?" with the undertone that perhaps he said chicken in error and meant to say steak.

Meanwhile, I stood there like a spectator watching a tennis match. My head following the conversation from the meal line to the cash register and back.

"Chicken." he once more says

"Steak."

That was it. I looked at her and opened my mouth.

"Chicken"

And guess what she says "Steak" to me.

"Chicken!" I say a bit louder, slower and very clearly.

She smiles at me and then shakes her head as if she can not believe both of us.

Unfucking believable. Am I not allowed to change my mind?

I laid down a ten dollar bill while she was ringing up my Chicken burrito, which she saw me do.

"You want a drink?"

"Did I ask for a drink? I made eye contact with her and then moved my eyes to my ten dollar bill I laid right in front of her. I did not say another word.

Go figure.

And that my fellow Readers was another fucked up incident at Chipotle's. Which reminds me of the last incident I had at Chipotle's. I sent an email to the Corporate email website and to this day I never received a response back. Goes to tell you Readers Chipotle's not customer friendly, unlike Qdoba's.

Matter of fact, I am going to email this to them.

Until the next time

Daryl Charley
The Fallen Athlete